Logo: University of Southern California

Theodore Tsotsis

Theodore Tsotsis


Robert E. Vivian Professor
 

General Research Interests
  • Reaction Engineering, Membrane Separation Processes
     
Contact Information

Web Site: 
E-mail:                       
tsotsis@usc.edu
Mailing Address:      
Mork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science
University of Southern California
925 Bloom Walk, HED 210
Los Angeles, CA 90089-1211                   
Office Location:       
HED 210
Office Phone:          
(213)740-2069
Fax:                         
(213) 740-8053


Education

Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, 1978
M.S., Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, 1976
B.S., Chemical Engineering, National Technical University, Athens, Greece, 1974 
Research Images

   
   
Specific Research Projects
  • Transport and Reaction in Membranes and Catalysts
  • High Temperature Reactions
  • Environmental Reaction Engineering  
 
Transport and Reaction in Membranes and Catalysts 
We are interested in the study of transport and reaction phenomena in membranes, adsorbents, and catalysts. Membranes are of interest because of their application in reactive separation applications (e.g., membrane reactors), but also because they serve as model systems for the study of such phenomena in other porous systems like adsorbents and catalysts. The studies are both of experimental and theoretical character. Our experiments involve carbon molecular sieve, SiC, and layered-double-hydroxide type membranes. To model the transport phenomena, we use non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) techniques. The use of reactive separations, involving high temperature membranes, to power generation applications is also currently under investigation.
 
High Temperature Reactions 
We are interested in power generation applications involving renewable fuels like landfill gas and biodiesel. We study the combustion characteristics of these fuels, and the environmental implications of their use in power generation. The experiments are carried out in an experimental set-up, which allows us to measure the fluid mechanics, temperature, and composition of the reactive flows. Experiments are coupled to complete numerical simulations of 2-D and 3-D reactive flows involving full chemistry.
 
Environmental Reaction Engineering 
We are interested in the remediation of landfill sites. Our work involves the detailed modeling of landfill gas and leachate generation and transport in these sites. We also study novel means for getting rid of the various heteroatom-containing VOC found in landfill gas and biogas.font>
 
In addition, we are interested in the development and use of novel adsorbent and membranes for the elimination of toxic pollutants from drinking water and industrial wastewaters. Our current project in this area involves the elimination of heavy toxic metals like As, Se, and Hg from power-plant effluents.


Funding
Our research studies are supported by grants from DARPA, DOE, DTRA, NSF, and a number of Industrial Companies.

Recent Publications (2005 - present)

  • Nukunya, T., Devinny, J.S., and Tsotsis, T.T., Application of a Network Model to a Biofilter Treating Ethanol Vapor, Chem. Eng. Sci., 60, 665, 2005.

  • Sahimi M. and Tsotsis, T.T. “Computational Methods for Statistical Methods of Nanoporous Materials and their Properties,” Chapter 74, Handbook of Theoretical and Computational Nanotechnology, Schommers, W., and Reith, M., Editors, American Scientific Publications, 2005.

  • Kim, N., Kim, Y., Tsotsis, T.T., and Sahimi, M. “Atomistic Simulation of Nanoporous Layered Double Hydroxide Materials and their Properties. I. Structural Properties,” J. Chem. Phys., 122, 2147, 2005.

  • Yang, L., Shahrivari, Z., Liu, P.K.T., Sahimi, M., Tsotsis, T.T. “Removal of Trace Levels of Arsenic and Selenium from Aqueous Solutions by Calcined and Uncalcined Layered Double Hydroxides (LDH),” Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 44, 6804, 2005.

  • Fayyaz, B., Harale, A., Park, B.G., Liu, P.K.T., Sahimi, M., and Tsotsis, T.T., Design Aspects of Hybrid Adsorbent-Membrane Reactors (HAMR) for Hydrogen Production,” Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 44, 9398, 2005.

  • Ostwal, M.M, Pellegrino, J., Norris, I., Tsotsis T.T., Sahimi, M., and Mattes, B.R. “Water Sorption of Acid-doped Polyaniline Solid Fibers: Equilibrium and Kinetic Response,” Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.,44, 7860, 2005.

  • Langille, J., Dong, Y., Andac M.G., Tsotsis, T. T., and Egolfopoulos, F.N. “Non-premixed Ignition by Vitiated Air in Counter-flow Configurations,” Comb. Sci. Technol., 178, 635, 2006.

  • Firouzi, M., Sahimi, M., and Tsotsis T.T., “Supercritical Fluids in Porous Composite Materials: Direction-Dependent Flow Properties,” Phys. Rev. E., 73, 036312, 2006.

  • Yang, L., Dadwhal, M., Shahrivari, Z., Ostwal, M., Liu, P.K.T., Sahimi, M., and Tsotsis, T.T., “Adsorption of Arsenic on Layered Double Hydroxides (LDH): Effect of Particle Size,”, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 45, 4792, 2006.

  • Sanchez, R., Hashemi, M., Tsotsis, T.T., and Sahimi, M. “Computer Simulations of Gas Generation and Transport in Landfills. II. Dynamic Conditions,” Chem. Eng. Sci., 61, 4750, 2006.

  • Langille, J., Pasale, J., Ren, J.Y., Egolfopoulos, F.N., and Tsotsis, T. T., “The Use of OCM Reactors for Ignition Enhancement of Natural Gas Combustion for Practical Applications: Reactor Design Aspects,” Chem. Eng. Sci., 61, 6637, 2006.

  • Ostwal, M.M, Pellegrino, J., Norris, I., Tsotsis T.T., Sahimi, M., and Mattes, B.R., “Water Sorption of Acid-Doped Polyaniline Hollow Fibers: Equilibrium and Kinetic Response,” Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 45, 6021, 2006.

  • Elyassi, B., Sahimi, M., and Tsotsis, T.T., “Silicon Carbide Membranes for Gas Separation Applications,” J. Membrane Sci., 288, 290, 2007.

  • Wang, Y. L, Holley, A. T., Andac, M.G., Egolfopoulos, F. N. , and Tsotsis, T.T, “Studies of Combustion Characteristics of Biofuels in Premixed and Non-premixed Flames,”, Paper A18 (Session on Laminar Flames), Proceedings of the 5th US Combustion Conference, San Diego, CA 2007.

  • Bagheri-Tar, F., Sahimi, M., and Tsotsis, T.T., “Preparation of Polyetherimide Nanoparticles by an Electrospray Technique,” Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 46, 3348, 2007.

  • Firouzi, M., Sahimi, M., and Tsotsis T.T., “Molecular dynamics simulations of transport and separation of supercritical carbon dioxide-alkane mixtures in supported membranes,” Chem. Eng. Sci.,62, 2777, 2007.

  • Ostwal, M.M., Sahimi, M., Tsotsis, T.T., “Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Diffusion and Sorption of Water in Doped Polyaniline,” J. Chem. Phys., 126, 124903, 2007.

  • Lim, S.Y, Kim, N, Tsotsis, T.T., and Sahimi, M., “Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Diffusion of Gases in Carbon Nanotube-Polyetherimide Polymer Composites,” Phys. Rev. E, 76, 011810, 2007.

  • Harale, A., Hwang, H., Liu, P.K.T., Sahimi, M., and Tsotsis, T.T., Experimental Studies of a Hybrid Adsorbent-Membrane Reactor (HAMR) System for Hydrogen Production,” Chem. Eng. Sci., 62, 4126, 2007.

  • Wang, Y.L., Ji, C., Holley, A.T., Egolfopoulos, F. N., Tsotsis, T.T., and Curran, H.J., “Studies of Combustion Characteristics of Biofuels in Premixed and Non-premixed Flames,” paper # 07F-49, 2007 Fall Meeting of the Western States Section of the Combustion Institute Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA, October 16 & 17, 2007.

  • Sanchez, R., Tsotsis, T.T., Sahimi, M. “Computer Simulation of Gas Generation and Transport in Landfills. III: Development of Landfills’ Optimal Model”, Chem. Eng. Sci., 62, 6378, 2007.

  • Kim, N., Harale, A., Tsotsis, T.T., and Sahimi, M. “Atomistic Simulation of Nanoporous Layered Double Hydroxide Materials and their Properties. II. Adsorption and Diffusion,” J. Chem. Phys. 127, 224701, 2007.

  • Elyassi, B., Sahimi, M., and Tsotsis, T.T. “A novel sacrificial interlayer-based method for the preparation of silicon carbide membranes,” J. Membrane Sci., 316, 73, 2008.

  • Chen, F., Mourhatch, R., Tsotsis, T.T., and Sahimi, M. “Experimental Studies and Computer Simulation of the Preparation of Nanoporous Silicon-Carbide Membranes by Chemical-Vapor Infiltration/Chemical-Vapor Deposition Techniques,” Chem. Eng. Sci., 63, 1460, 2008.

  • Tsotsis, T.T., Sahimi, M., Fayyaz-Najafi, B., Harale, A., Park, B.G., Liu, P.K.T., “Hybrid Adsorptive Membrane Reactor,” U.S. Patent Application, Feb. 2006.

  • Naik, C.V., Puduppakkam, K.V., Meeks, E., Yang Lee Wang, Y. L., Egolfopoulos, F.N., Tsotsis, T. T., Westbrook, C.K., “Modeling Combustion Characteristics of Components of Model-Biodiesel at High Temperatures, paper # 08S-39, Fall Meeting of the Western States Section of the Combustion Institute, USC, CA, March 17 & 18, 2008.

  • Kim, T., Sahimi, M. and Tsotsis, T.T., ‘The Preparation of Hydrotalcite Thin Films Using an Electrophoretic Technique,” Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 47, 9127, 2008.

  • Hwang, H.T., Harale, A., Liu, P.K.T., Sahimi, M., and Tsotsis, T.T., “A Membrane-Based Reactive Separation System for CO2 Removal in a Life Support System,”J. Membrane Sci., 315, 116, 2008.

  • Chen, F., Mourhatch, R., Tsotsis, T.T., and Sahimi, M., “ Pore Network Model of Transport and Separation of Binary Gas Mixtures in Nanoporous Membranes,” J. Membrane Sci., 315, 48, 2008.

  • Dadwhal, M., Kim, T, Sahimi, M., and Tsotsis, T.T., A Study of CO2 Transport in Layered Double Hydroxides (LDH): The Effect of Particle Size,” Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 47, 6150, 2008.

  • Wang, Y. L., Ji, C., Holley, A. T., Egolfopoulos, F. N., Tsotsis, T. T., and Curran, H. J., “Propagation and Extinction of Premixed Dimethyl-Ether/Air Flames,” Proceedings of the Combustion Institute, 32, 1035, 2008.

  • Tsotsis, T.T, Nair, N., Motamedhashemi, Y., Snyder, M., Navarro, F., Hwang, H., P.K.T. Liu, R. Ciora, “ A Knudsen Flow-Through Membrane-Reactor-Based Integrated Individual Protection System,” Proceedings Chemical and Biological Defense Physical Science and Technology Conference, 2008.

  • Dadwhal, M., Ostwal, M., Liu P.K.T., Sahimi, M., and Tsotsis, T.T., “Adsorption of Arsenic on Conditioned Layered Double Hydroxides (LDH). Flow Experiments and Modeling,” Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 48, 2076, 2009.

  • Rajabbeigi, N, Elyassi, B., Tsotsis, T.T., Sahimi, M., “Molecular Pore-network Model for Nanoporous Materials. I: Application to Adsorption in Silicon-carbide Membranes,” J. Membrane Sci., 335, 5, 2009.

  • Kim, T., Sahimi, M. and Tsotsis, T.T., “The Preparation and Characterization of Hydrotalcite Micromembranes,” Chem. Eng. Sci., 64, 1585, 2009.

  • Elyassi, B., Sahimi, M., and Tsotsis, T.T., “Inorganic Membranes,” Encyclopedia of Chemical Processing, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC, Sunggyu (K.B.) Lee, Editor, 1:1, 1-16, 2009.

  • Kim, T., Sahimi, M. and Tsotsis, T.T., ‘The Preparation and Characterization of Hydrotalcite Thin Films,” Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 48, 5794, 2009.

  • Liu, Z., Jessen, K., and Tsotsis, T.T., “Optimization of In-situ Combustion Processes: Reduction of CO2 Emissions - A Preliminary Study,” SPE Paper 126687, 2009.

  • Kim, T.W., Sahimi, M., and Tsotsis, T.T. “Hydrotalcite-Sulfonated Polyetheretherketone (SPEEK) Cation-Exchange Membranes,” Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 48, 9504, 2009.

  • Wang, Y. L.., Feng, Q., Kellogg, K., Egolfopoulos, F.N., and Tsotsis, T.T. “Oxidation and Pollutant Emissions of Methyl-Esters in Flames,” paper 22H4, Proceedings, 6th US Combustion Meeting, Ann Arbor, Michigan, May 19-20, 2009.

  • Harale, A., Hwang, H., Liu, P.K.T., Sahimi, M., and Tsotsis, T.T., Design Aspects of a Hybrid Adsorbent-Membrane Reactor (HAMR) System for Hydrogen Production,” Chem. Eng. Sci., 65, 427, 2009.

  • Elyassi, B., Sahimi, M., and Tsotsis, T.T., “Fabrication of Amorphous Silicon-Carbide Nanofibers by a Template Technique,” Mat. Chem. Phys.,118, 259, 2009.

  • Sanchez, R., Tsotsis, T.T., Sahimi, M. “Computer Simulation of Gas Generation and Transport in Landfills. IV: Modeling of Two-Phase Flow”, Chem. Eng. Sci., 65, 1212, 2009.

  • Rajabbeigi, N, Elyassi, B., Tsotsis, T.T., Sahimi, M., “Molecular Pore-network Model for Nanoporous Materials. II: Application to Transport and Separation of Gaseous Mixtures in Silicon-Carbide Membranes,” J. Membrane Sci., 345, 323, 2009.

  • Ostwal, M.M., Sahimi, M., Tsotsis, T.T., “Water Harvesting Using a Conductive Polymer. A Study by Molecular Dynamics Simulation,” Phys. Rev. E., 79, 061801, 2009.

  • Wang, Y.L., Veloo, P., Egolfopoulos, F.N., Tsotsis, T.T., “A Comparative Study on the Extinction Characteristics of Non-Premixed Dimethyl Ether and Ethanol Flames,” paper 09F-43, 2009 Fall Meeting of the Western States Section of the Combustion Institute, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, October 26-27, 2009.

  • Mourhatch, R., Tsotsis, T.T., and Sahimi, M., “Network Model for the Evolution of the Pore Structure of Silicon-Carbide Membranes during their Fabrication,” In Press, J. Membrane Sci.

  • Sanchez, R., Kavak, H.I., Webster, I.A., Tsotsis, T.T., Sahimi, M. “Computer Simulation of Gas Generation and Transport in Landfills. V: Use of Artificial Neural Networks for Sort-term Forecasting”, Submitted for Publication, Chem. Eng. Sci.

  • Wang, Y.L., Egolfopoulos, F.N., Tsotsis, T.T., “Propagation and Extinction of Methyl-Ester/Air Flames,” Submitted for Publication in the Proceedings 33rd International Symposium on Combustion, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, China, August 1-6, 2010.

  • Wang, Y.L., Egolfopoulos, F.N., Tsotsis, T.T., “Extinction Characteristics of Non-premixed Methyl-Ester Flames,” Submitted for Publication in the Proceedings 33rd International Symposium on Combustion, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, China, August 1-6, 2010.

  • Wang, Y.L., Veloo, P., Egolfopoulos, F.N., Tsotsis, T.T., “A Comparative Study on the Extinction Characteristics of Non-Premixed Dimethyl Ether and Ethanol Flames,” Submitted for Publication in the Proceedings 33rd International Symposium on Combustion, Tsinghua University, Beijing 10084, China, August 1-6, 2010.

  • Naik, C.V., Puduppakkam, K. V., Modak, A., Meeks, E., Wang, Y.L., Feng, Q., and Tsotsis, T.T., “Detailed Chemical Kinetic Mechanism for Surrogates of Alternative Jet Fuels,” Submitted for Publication, Combust. Flame.

  • Abdollahi, M., Yu, J., Liu, P.K.T., Ciora, R., Sahimi, M., and Tsotsis, T.T., “Hydrogen Production from Coal-Derived Syngas Using a Catalytic Membrane Reactor Based Process,” Submitted for Publication, J. Membrane Sci.

  • Abdollahi, M., Yu, J., Liu, P.K.T., Ciora, R., Sahimi, M., and Tsotsis, T.T., “Process Intensification in Hydrogen Production from Syngas,” Submitted for Publication, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.

  • Feng, Q., Wang, Y. L., Egolfopoulos, F.N., and Tsotsis, T.T., “A Fundamental Study of the Oxidation Characteristics and Pollutant Emissions of Model Biodiesel Fuels,” Submitted for Publication, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.

  • Liu, Z., Jessen, K., and Tsotsis, T.T., “Optimization of In-Situ Combustion Processes: A Parameter Space Study Towards Reducing the CO2 Emissions,” Submitted for Publication, Chem. Eng. Sci.

  • Kim, T.W., Sahimi, M., and Tsotsis, T.T., “Hybrid hydrotalcite-sulfonated polyetheretherketone (SPEEK) cation-exchange membranes prepared by in situ sulfonation,” Submitted for Publication, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res.